Collar shaping means



April 11, 1950 NEWMAN 2,503,966

COLLAR SHAPING MEANS Filed Dec. 22, 1945 INVENTOR. By%

Patented Apr. 11, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT-OFFICE COLLAR SHAPING MEANS Max M. Newman, New York, N. Y.

Application December 22, 1945, Serial No. 636,918

9 Claims.

This invention relates to shirt collars and more particularly to shaping means for the collar edge so as to prevent wrinkling and provide a neat appearance thereof.

The failure of many prior devices was attributable to the stiffened, unnatural appearance accorded the collar edge and in general these devices were not adapted to suitable shaping of the collar. In cases where a stiffener element extended the complete length of the collar, that is, from its neck-line to its tip, the rigidity accorded the collar edge prevented it from adapting itself to a tie knot, where a tie was worn with the shirt. As a result, the stiffener element jutted from the shirt front because it was so lifted by the tie knot. Similarly, any movement of the stiffener element in the tie knot region was transmitted in an amplified manner to the remainder of the stiffener element. On the other hand, when the stiffener element wa confined to the region below that of the knot, not only was the top or neckline portion of the collar deprived of any shaping means, but the lack thereof was apparent in an objectionable manner. Thus, when the shirt with the stiffener element incorporated therein was ironed after washing, the end of the element adjacent the knot region was accentuated and presented an apparent line of demarcation in the collar edge. This was, moreover, a most probable source of damage to the collar since the sharp end of the stiffener element was obviously forced into the cloth during such pressing and concentrated the wear at that point. In fact, even in the absence of ironing, the sharp edge of the stiifener element was often noticeable as it presented a resting point for dust or dirt during the wearing of the shirt.

Bearing the foregoing in mind, it is an object of the present invention to provide a collar shaping means which. eliminates the above objections while treating the collar edge from the neck-line to the tip.

Another object of this invention is to provide a collar shaping means of a unitary nature wherein movements thereof in the tie knot region of the collar are substantially isolated from the remainder of the shaping means.

A further object of this invention is to provide a collar shaping means which will adapt itself to the complete aesthetic requirements of the collar and will permit the collar to be draped over the tie knot while maintaining suitable rigidity otherwise.

Another object of this invention is to provide a collar shaping means having incorporated therein a semi-flexible member so as to provide shaping without undue rigidity. Allied with this object is the provision of such a semi-flexible member wherein kinking thereof is rendered highly improbable or completely eliminated.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a collar stiffening element Whichshall avoid damage to either the collar itself or the shirt front in that its sharp edges are prevented from making contact with either of these shirt portions.

Other objects of my invention will be apparent from the following description, it being understood that the above general statements of the objects of my invention are intended to describe and not to limit it in any manner.

In the drawing,

Fig. 1 is a perspective view, partly broken away, of a collar and tie assembly, the collar being provided with the shaping means of the instant invention.

Fig. 2 is an elevational view of the shaping element per se.

Fig. 3 is a greatly enlarged fragmentary View of the flexible portion of the shaping element.

Referring now to Fig. 1, the collar C indicated is of the well known turned-down type provided with the conventional French seams at its edges. The shaping element In is incorporated between the plies of the collar at the edges I l and I2 thereof. It will be apparent that the seams l3 and M in conjunction with the French seams provide a channel into which the shaping element Ill may be inserted. Such insertion may be effected in the manufacture of the collar so that the element It) is permanently incorporated in said channel or an opening may be provided in the rear side of the collar adjacent the neckline whereby the element It] can be inserted or removed, as desired.

The shaping element in, although unitary in nature, is preferably constructed of three sections of mutually varying degrees of flexibility and elongation and longitudinally continuous in that they are aligned and extend substantially in the same direction. Section l5 thereof is of the greatest rigidity and is proportioned and disposed so as to occupy the central portion of the collar edge. Section I6 is of a relatively flexible nature and is proportioned and disposed so as to control the top or neck-line portion of the collar edge. Section I1 is of the same flexibility as section l6 and is adapted to form the tip region end of the shaping element ID. All of the sections are elongated in that their lengths are appreciably greater than their widths and the sections are end-to-end connected so as to main tain and further such elongation.

Shaping element Ill may comprise an elongated integral strip of metal chain which may take the form of a non-rustable chain having individual links and often used for connection to watches or keys. Assuming purely for the sake of illustration that the length thereof is 2% inches to accommodate a collar edge of that length, the central portion l may be 1% inches, the top portion 16 may be inch, while the tip portion I! may be V inch. The chain is rendered suitably rigid at the central portion l5 by welding or soldering of its links, although it will be apparent that the section [5 may be solid, if desired, since the soldering or welding of the links produces the same effect. At the portions 56 and H, the chain links retain their original degree of flexibility or semi-rigidity as is characteristic of such watch chains. such chain of semi-rigidity being less flexible, of course, than the collar edge itself.

Referring to Fig. 3 wherein is shown an enlarged fragmentary view of the flexible portion of the chain, adjacent links, such as 53 and 19, are preferably, although not necessarily, overlapping, as shown. The purpose of such overlapping construction is to prevent kinking of the chain when the shirt is laundered or ironed with the shaping element therein. The degree of overlapping is such as to maintain the adjacent links in their overlapping relationship even under the influence of a sharp bend in the chain. In this way, subsequent ironing of the collar restores the links to their original, substantially parallel relationship in the overlapping portions. The position of the links I8 and It is of course identical with all the link positions throughout the flexible portions of the shaping element ll].

The upwardly disposed links [9 are thicker at portion 20, slanting at line 21 so as to fit under the next link I9 as well as under its associated lower link 18. Similarly, link l8 slants downwardly at 22. Each link 8, for example, goes under two other links l8 as well as one 1-3 so as to increase the overlapping characteristics of the chain. However, it will be appreciated that such construction is optional and not mandatory for the benefits of the invention.

When the shaping element It is applied to the channel formed as aforesaid and illustrated in the broken away portion of Fig. i, the section T6 of the shaping element by virtue of its degree of flexibility effectively drapes itself around the convex top of knot K. The central, rigid section [5 follows thereafter so as to provide the central portion of the edge with a suitable stiffening means. The section 1'! follows the rigid section so as to avoid a sharp or penetrating tip on the collar edge.

It will :be observed that section t5 assumes an 'arcuate form while section i5 depends therefrom at an angle. in this manner, {the central portion of the collar edge is downwardly directed instead of jutting out in a highly objectionable fashion. Similarly, movements of the top portion I6 are substantially isolated from rigid section 5. This is of advantage inasmuch as section l6 might otherwise a'c't "as the short arm of a lever wherein "a movement thereof might cause the section 15 to cook upwardly to an amplified degree; Section I? being of a flexible nature, minimizes wear upon a shirt front such as would be produced by a sharp-edged stiffener element. Sections [6 and I! further preserve the surface continuity of the rigid section l5 so as to avoid abrupt lines of demarcation in the collar edge. Such continuity is achieved through the mutually continuous surface alignment of the sections, the expression mutually continuous surface alignment being intended to denote that the corresponding surfaces of the several sections lie in the same plane. It will be evident that the alignment of such surfaces prevents marks appearing on the collar edge at the junction of two sections. Such marks would generally be created during ironing of the collar Where one section would take up the weight of the iron were the sections not aligned as described.

Chain section It, while flexible, is nevertheless sufficiently shape-retaining to resist wrinkling of itself or of the collar at its top edge. Chain section I? similarly renders wrinkling of the tip edge extremely unlikely by virtue of the limited flexibility of the chain.

As is characteristic of such chains as described, they are of suificient flexibility as to be bendable of their own weight. In this way, the chain may drape itself in the shape illustrated in Fig. 1 without tending to lift the remainder of the collar edge.

- I have shown a preferred embodiment of my invention but it is obvious that numerous changes and omissions may be made without departing from its spirit.

I claim:

1. Collar shaping means comprising a unitary strip including a flexible chain section and a rigid section depending therefrom, said flexible chain section com-prising a lesser portion of said strip than the rigid section whereby said shaping means may be applied to a collar .edge wherein said flexible section may drape itself over 'a tie knot adjacent said collar edge and the rigid section may stiffen the following part of said collar edge.

2.. A collar stiffening element comprising a unitary strip including a rigid section and a smaller flexible section, said sections being connected, said flexible section being formed with inter-connecting links, adjacent links thereof be ing overlapping.

3. A collar shaping means comprising a rigid elongated section and relatively flexible sections on each end thereof, each of said flexible sections comprising chain members having overlapping links extending over at least two succeeding links.

4. Collar shaping means comprising a rigid elongated section and relatively flexible sections at each end thereof, one of said flexible sections being longer than the other, and said rigid section being the longest of the three, reach of said flexible sections comprising chain members havihg --overlapping links.

5. Seller shaping means for application to a collar edge, said collar shaping means comprising a flexible strip member and a rigid strip member, both said members forming a continuous, elongated strip, said members being substantially aligned and arranged sothat the "flexible member is disposed above said rigid memher when the collar shaping means is applied to said collar edge, said rigid member being longer than said flexible member whereby a large portion of said :collar edge is accorded stiffened characteristics while a succeeding, aligned and smaller portion thereof is accorded less stifiened characteristics.

6. Collar shaping means for application to a collar edge, and means comprising a rigid elongated section and relatively flexible sections connected at each end thereof so as to form a continuous, unitary structure, one of said flexible sections being longer than the other, and said rigid section being the longest of the three whereby the application of said means to a collar edge provides continuous portions thereof with mutually varied degrees of flexibility.

7. Collar shaping means for application to a flexible collar edge, said collar shaping means including an elongated means of individual metallic link construction, said links being mutually bendable and adapted to render less flexible said collar edge to which the elongated means is applied.

8. Collar shaping means for application to a flexible collar edge, said collar shaping means including an elongated means of individual metallic link construction, said links being mutually bendable and adapted to render less flexible said collar edge to which the elongated means is applied, some of the links of said elongated means overlapping at least two following links thereof.

9. Collar shaping means for application to a collar edge, said collar shaping means comprising a unitary strip having at least two elongated sections of difierent degrees of rigidity, said sections being end-to-end connected to form a continuous elongated strip and being in mutually continuous surface alignment, one of said sections being flexible and adapted to be disposed in the tie knot region of a collar edge and the other of said sections being rigid and depending therefrom so as to provide stiffening means for the succeeding portion of the collar edge.

MAX M. NEWMAN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

